Happy Tree Friends
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Happy Tree Friends is an animated series, created by Rhode Montijo and Kenn Navarro, made in Macromedia Flash by Mondo Mini Shows.
According to the website, the idea for Happy Tree Friends was conceived by Rhode Montijo when he drew a rabbit on a piece of paper and wrote "resistance is futile" underneath it.
The show consists of exactly 20 characters based on animals in European and American forests. Usually a few (ranged from one to four) of them are used in a single episode, but there are larger episodes where more than ten characters appear.
As indicated at a corner of the official site, "Not recommended for small children and big babies," and in contrary to the cuteness of its characters, the show is highly violent and every episode features a violent and bloody death of at least one featured character (comparable to Kenny McCormick in South Park, although the Happy Tree Friends deaths are significantly more graphic and drawn-out). Moreover, the show is nearly free of dialogue, and if the characters do speak, their words are severely garbled and can barely be understood.
After every ending credits a moral often having little to do with the actual episode follows. Examples are "Keep your promises!" and "Read a book!".
Due to its success, the show's creators released three DVDs containing the episodes shown on the website and others that have not been released. In some countries it can be seen on television (e.g. on the Dutch, German, Polish and the Brazilian MTV channels, and on the Australian SBS TV network). The show made its North American debut on June 10, 2005 on Attack of the Show, which is part of G4TV.
Characters
- Cuddles: A rabbit. This character is claimed to be the main character in the series and, thus, dies in every featured episode.
- Giggles: A chipmunk, and one of the two female characters in the series.
- Petunia: A skunk and the other female character, who always wears an air-freshener around her neck.
- Lumpy: A moose. One of the grown-up characters in the series and the only character having a standard nose with two holes shown (most others have a heart-shaped nose). He is often shown in tremdously incongrous situations, such as lounging shirtless in a hammock while the rest of the cast is playing in the snow.
- Flippy: A militaristic bear, a veteran of war who is sent into a violent rage when he hears or sees something that reminds him of war, such as gunshots. His Post-traumatic stress disorder is often the cause for grisly, Guerrilla-style executions for his friends.
- Handy: A craftsman beaver with no hands. He still manages to perform all sorts of tasks - but only off-screen.
- Pop: Another grown-up character, the stereotypically clueless, pipe-smoking 1950s-style father. His inattention often means bad things for his son, Cub.
- Cub: A baby bear who likes to operate machines all by himself. Is doomed both by his father's attention and inattention.
- Splendid: A superhero flying squirrel always doing housework who ends up killing the animals he rescues. He is part parody of Rocky from Rocky and Bullwinkle, part parody of Superman.
- Mole, the: A blind mole with a mole on his face.
- Flaky: A cowardly porcupine, whose quills are full of dandruff.
- Sniffles: A nerdy ant-eater who likes to play in the sand and solve square roots.
- Disco Bear: A bear with an afro who likes to boogie to disco music.
- Russell: An otter pirate.
- Mime: A deer with a painted face, who never speaks.
- Lifty & Shifty: Two kleptomaniac raccoon brothers.
- Cro-Marmot: A marmot frozen in a block of ice. Like Handy, he performs many tasks, but always unseen. He is the only Happy Tree Friend who never dies.
- Nutty: A squirrel who has a serious sweet tooth, and has candy stuck to his face.
- Toothy: A beaver with very large front teeth.
- Buddhist Monkey: The creators thought this character was such a great idea that he deserved his own show, which has currently had only two episodes and are both exclusive for the second and third DVDs.
External link
- Happy Tree Friends website (http://www.happytreefriends.com)de:Happy Tree Friends